Love You Forever
by The Devil's Rep
Summary: Forever is an eternity for some, and a lifetime for others. But for some, forever comes sooner than expected. Written blind to origin spoilers. Complete, but will be posted in increments.
1. Chapter 1

Adrien learns it from his mother.

"My mother sang it to me when I was a little girl" she says, holding a 6-year old Adrien on her lap. "Who learned it from her mother, who learned it from her father..." And though Adrien is too young to fully appreciate how long it's been passed down through generations, he still listens attentively, even as he drifts off to sleep.

 _I'll love you forever_

 _I'll like you for always_

 _As long as I'm living_

 _My baby you'll be_

* * *

Adrien's mother is gone.

The song leaves with her.

It's many years before it returns.

* * *

It's autumn. It's a routine patrol, just a quick run through the heart of Paris and then skirting along where the city becomes the suburbs. They come to a rest on a flat-roofed apartment, almost out of place due to how it towers over the surrounding buildings. They have a beautiful view of the Parisian skyline. The sky has begun to darken, and there's a sharp bite to the air, a promise of the coming winter. As they watch, the Eiffel Tower's lights blink to life, while a brilliant sunset casts long shadows across the rooftops.

"That was a fast one" Ladybug comments, moving to sit on an AC unit. "It usually takes us at least a good half-hour longer"

"Must be a _mew_ record" Chat agrees, flopping down beside her and slinging an arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. He casts her a grin. "Mind you, our parkour skills nowadays are almost _purr_ fect"

Ladybug rolls her eyes, removing Chat's arm. "Seriously though, Chat. How long have we been patrolling?"

"A little over two and a half years now, my Lady"

"I can't tell if that seems too long or too short"

He glances at her questioningly.

"I mean" Ladybug purses her lips "It feels like we've been doing this forever, but at the same time it seems like only yesterday when I ran into you, trying to dig yourself out of the dumpster you had just fallen into" She grins, shooting him a sideway look.

" _Me-_ ouch. You wound me" Chat pouts, before smirking "And I distinctly remember you tripping and falling when you got yourself tangled with your bandalore"

"Oh shut up"

"How long did it take to untangle you again?"

"Chat!"

Chat laughs, holding his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. We've both come a long way from where we started." The grin on his face fades, slowly, as he takes in the look on Ladybug's face. "My lady? He asks, tentatively "Is everything alright?"

Ladybug smiles, slightly "Yeah, everything's fine, but..." She sighs, crosses her arms, rubbing them, though for warmth or comfort, he's not sure "Chat, do you ever think about the future?"

"No, I'm usually busy trying not to mess up the present. Do you?"

She laughs "Yeah, I do. And I can't help but wonder what'll happen when this is all done."

"What's all done?"

"This. This whole akuma thing. I mean, after we defeat Hawkmoth, what then? What use will we be? It may sound terrible, but I almost don't want the akumas to stop. They... "She waves her arms about, trying to find the words to explain herself. "They kind of, I don't know, reassure me? Like they give people a reason to need me. I can't help but feel like when we finally defeat Hawkmoth, I'll end up being useless."

Chat Noir is silent, processing what his Lady has just confessed to him. Ladybug draws her knees up to her chest and hugs them, and they sit in silence for awhile.

Suddenly Chat stands, and turns to offer his hand to her. She looks up at him questioningly, but places her hand in his. He pulls her to her feet, drawing her body close to his, while his other hand comes to rest on her waist. Her eyes still ask silent questions, but she reaches up to grip his shoulder with his free hand. Walking backwards, he begins to hum, a soft, quiet, sweet tune that she doesn't recognize but is comforting nonetheless. He leads them, slowly, through slow turns and spins, and she leans forward, closing her eyes and turning her head to rest on his chest, tucking her face into the crook of his neck.

If this was the younger Ladybug and Chat Noir, she would have smacked him and told him to get lost. Younger Ladybug was far too infatuated with Adrien, and too fearful of revealing her identity to allow him this close. But they've been partners for years, and loath as she is to admit it, he's proven, time and time again to be reliable, her anchor when she's drifting, and her compass when she's lost. He's never once challenged the boundaries she's set out for them, outside of tentatively testing them from time to time, and she appreciates his gentle nature.

They stay like that for awhile, dancing, before Chat speaks, or rather, softly sings.

" _I'll love you forever_

 _I'll like you for always_

 _As long as I'm living_

 _My Lady you'll be"_

Ladybug feels tears prick at her eyes, and she lets go of him to wrap both arms around his neck. He, in turn, wraps his arms around her middle, hands coming to rest on the small of her back. She tightens her hold, silently, almost desperately trying to convey everything she wants to say into that hug.

His own arms tighten, and she knows her understands.

Pulling away, she surreptitiously wipes at her eyes, offering him a watery smile before saying "I should head home. It's getting late"

Chat smiles back, softly not one of his signature smirks, but one of his genuine smiles that she so rarely sees and so often wishes she could see more often. He reaches up, takes her face in his hands, and presses a kiss to her forehead, ignoring the light blush that dusts her cheeks. "Alright, my _Coccinelle_. I hope to see you soon"

Smiling, Ladybug unhooks her bandalore from around her waist, and walks to the edge of the roof before pausing. Turning back, she sees chat balancing on an adjacent edge, fiddling with his baton as he maps out his route back home.

She walks over.

Sensing her presence, Chat looks over at her questioningly. She quickly presses a kiss to his cheek, blushing. Pulling back, she whispers "Thanks, kitty" Before running and throwing her bandalore, swinging out into the street and landing neatly on an adjacent buildings roof.

Chat watches, hand on his cheek, as if he could hold on to the sensation. Smiling, he shakes his head before launching himself out with his baton.

"Anytime"


	2. Chapter 2

"What's the matter _chaton_? Scared?"

Chat looks the young woman in the eyes "Hardly"

She hops down gracefully from the wall she's been standing on, dusting off invisible dirt as she straightens. "All I need is your miraculous, Chat. Is all this destruction worth it, when we both know that the outcome is inevitable? Ladybug isn't here to save you."

Chat tightens his hands into fists. "She'll be here."

The akuma throws her head back. Laughs. "I don't think so, Chat."

A growl emanates from Chat's throat, low and dangerous. He bars his teeth. Spits. "Listen, _Imp Perfection_ , I don't know who you are, but if you've so much as touched a hair on Ladybugs head, so help me _God_ there will be hell to pay."

Imp Perfection looks him dead in the eyes, and he flinches at the strange familiarity of her eyes. She smirks. "Oh, _chaton,_ I didn't need to. She disposed of herself"

"You're lying. Ladybug is more than capable of taking care of herself. Someone like you couldn't possibly beat her."

"I didn't have to beat her. She simply saw reason. Now she doesn't have to worry about her loved ones. _My_ loved ones"

 _My loved ones..._

"...My lady?"

She gives him a wry smile "Hey kitty".

 _Oh no... Oh God, please, no..._

He doesn't want to believe it, but the longer he looks the more horrifyingly obvious it becomes. She's wearing a the same suit she's always worn, only now her colours have been inverted, and she's sporting a miniskirt that swings as she walks. He can see the outline of padding along her forearms, shins, and upper body, indicating some sort of armour. She's wearing heels, black stilettos that look sharp enough to break skin without too much effort. As he looks closer, he notices a small purse hanging from a strap across her shoulders. Unlike the rest of her outfit, it's a light pink, and Chat immediately decides that it's housing the akuma.

"Ladybug... What has he done to you?"

"Done to me? Only shown me how powerful I could be. Something I would never be with the likes of _you_ , Chat" She spits his name like an insult, and he flinches, reminds himself that _this isn't Ladybug._ _Ladybug cares for you, even if it is only as a partner-_

"Now look at me. I have the power to guarantee that nobody I care about gets hurt. I can decide what's fair and what isn't. I can be judge, jury, and executioner." She pauses, and Chat watches in horrified awe as the distinct pink outline of Hawkmoth's influence illuminates her face. "But enough talk. I need your miraculous, and I'm going to give you one last chance to hand it over before things get ugly."

Chat gives her one last desperate look, before closing his eyes. He sets his jaw, and when he opens his eyes, they seem to almost burn in the dying lights of the setting sun. He unhooks his baton, swinging it out in front of him. "With all due respect, My lady..." Catching the end of his weapon, he sinks to a crouch, readying himself for the coming fight. "We've worked together long enough for you to know my answer."

Imp Perfection glares at him, but he meets it with his own unwavering gaze. Snarling, she unhooks her bandalore. "So be it" She growls, before whipping her weapon towards Chat. He barely flips out of the way before the metal shell slams into the concrete hard enough to crack it, and before she retracts it, he notices the metallic glint of blades sprouting from the body. He tears his gaze from the crater left just in time to block another strike. The bandalore wraps around his baton, locking them in a stale mate until they simultaneously yank, sending both weapons clattering to the edge of the roof behind him.

Not missing a beat, Imp Perfection leaps at Chat, launching kicks and punches so fast she's practically creating her own whirlwind. Blocking and dodging, Chat waits for an opening before lashing out, catching her in the middle and sending her stumbling back. He feels a grim sense of satisfaction run through him – although she's always been the more powerful one, years of him distracting for her has given him an edge over her in terms of hand-to-hand combat. A glance at the infuriated look on her face tells him she's come to the same realization.

"Alright, enough games. Time to finish this."

He watches as she reaches down, opening the purse hanging at her side. A swarm of small, blood-red... things fly out, swarming her and shielding her from view. When she re-appears, she's holding something in her hand. He registers that its red, and spherical, before she's pitching it at his head. He flips back, landing next to his baton and grabbing it. The projectile crashes into the rooftop beside him and bursts, splashing the roof with an acidic smelling liquid. As he watches, the roof slowly disintegrates as it's eaten by the acid. Cursing, he retreats, dodging the corrosive bombs as he tries to think of a plan. Glancing back, he sees that he's only got about 10 more feet before the roof ends, with no others nearby to offer an escape route. He turns back just as Imp Perfection tosses her last bomb, and he darts forward, sliding under it and attempting to sweep her legs out from under her as he passes.

Unfortunately, she has all the speed and agility of Ladybug, and leaps over his legs, twisting to land on his ankle as he passes. There's a sickening the sickening sound of bones being broken and displaced, and Chat lets out a cry as he skids to a stop behind her. She gives him a cruel grin as he drags himself to his feet, using his baton as a crutch. Looking down, he notices they're on a skylight. He takes his baton and smashes it though the glass, shattering it. They both drop, falling into what appears to be an abandoned part of a mall. Imp uses her bandalore to catch a support beam while Chat let's himself fall. He waits as long as he can, and when he's about to hit the floor, he tucks himself into a roll, plunging into the darkness of an empty storefront. Ducking behind a cash register, he stays still for a moment, confirming that he's properly hidden, before turning his attention to his ankle.

He hisses as he tests his weight. The tight fit of the leather offers a good amount of support, which he's grateful for, but he won't be doing any acrobatics anytime soon. He unhooks his belt-tail, wrapping it tightly around his ankle for more support, before securing it and testing it again. Still not good, but better.

"Come out, kitty. You can't hide forever"

Pressing himself against the wall, Chat peers over the counter and spots Imp Perfection lowering herself from the floor above. She scans the storefront, passing over him completely. He's confused until he remembers. _She doesn't have night vision._ So he has a bit of an advantage.

She mutters something under her breath, before reaching into her purse again, drawing out something he can't identify. Curious, he watches as she points it at the opposite storefront window. There's a large crack, and a small ball of light bursts from the object, screaming through the air and shattering the glass.

 _A flare gun. Great._

As he watches her successively shoot every storefront, he realizes that her power is a corrupted lucky charm, granting her whatever she needs to get what she wants. However, unlike lucky charm, she can apparently draw as many things as she wants from it, one at a time, and she knows exactly what to do with it when she gets it. He presses himself down further as a flare shatters the display a couple of shops down the hall. If he's going to do something, it's going to have to be soon. He has to figure out how to get to the akuma.

The storefront next door is lit up, and Chat braces his bad foot against the wall behind him. As he feels the flare rocket past him, he launches up, vaulting the cashier and charging Imp, who freezes momentarily, before leaping back, landing nimbly on the rim of an escalator before flipping backwards, running up the handrail while Chat limps after her. She doesn't stop until she's on the third floor.

Gritting his teeth, Chat half-hops, half-limps up the steps. Coming over the rise, he barely dodges a hit from Imp, ducking around her and grabbing her other wrist. He yanks; almost manages to grab her purse. Unfortunately, the twisting proves to be too much for his ankle, and it buckles. Taking advantage of his predicament, Imp twists herself around, using his arm to judo-flip him over her shoulder, slamming him into the ground. He gasps, trying to refill his lungs, before she's grabbing him by his collar, easily lifting him up and pinning him against the guardrail. His baton flies out of his hand, tumbling over the guardrail to land uselessly three floors down.

"Game over, _Chaton_. Now give me your miraculous."

Chat Noir coughs, a trickle of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. "My lady..."

"I'm not your lady"

"Yes, you are"

"I'm not!"

"You are. I know you're in there, Ladybug. I know you're fighting it. Just please listen to me."

She doesn't release her grip, but she also doesn't seem to be ready to kill him just yet, so he continues. "You'll always be my lady. Hawkmoth can tell all the lies, manipulate all he wants. But nothing can change the fact that, like it or not, you're my partner. And I'm yours."

He looks at her, and he can see the battle going on behind her eyes. He reaches up, tugs on her wrists (because it's getting hard to breathe). Looks her dead in the eye. "Hawkmoth may be influencing you, my lady, but you're still Ladybug. You're still the girl who brings cookies to our patrols, who rescues cats from trees and helps the elderly across the street. You're still the girl who never backs down from anything. You're still the girl I fell in love with."

She falters, and when she speaks, her voice seems to be just a bit smaller, a bit less venomous. "Love?"

He smiles, but it looks more like a wince. "Yes, my lady. I've loved you for awhile now."

Her face hardens again. "You don't love me"

"Yes I do. I'll love you forever"

She tightens her grip on his collar. "You're lying".

"I'll like you for always"

He silently activates cataclysm, reaching for the purse by her side with his other hand. She doesn't notice, distracted by the turmoil in her mind.

"As long as I'm living"

Her hands are trembling, and she swallows hard, silent tears tracing paths down her cheeks. She looks scared, and in that moment Chat _sees_ Ladybug for the first time. Not the superhero, but the girl. The girl who looks scared to death at the thought of losing someone close to her. The girl who thinks she's not strong enough to protect them. It breaks his heart.

"My lady you'll be"

Her grip on his collar loosens, and Chat takes his chance, grabbing for the purse.

His fingers close around the strap, but the sudden movement startles her, and Hawkmoth manages to regain control. She snarls, tugging him back from the guardrail before slamming him back into it. The sudden movement causes his other hand to swing back into the rail, which disintegrates as cataclysm corrodes it. It gives way, and Chat topples back, wrenching him from Imp's grasp and snapping the purse strap.

He falls.

For a split-second, all he can hear is the wind whistling in his ears as the three floors pass.

Then, there's a sickening thud, accompanied by a quieter crunch as Chat slams into the concrete floor, and he gives a strangled cry. He vaguely wonders, through the pain, where the crunch came from, but then he feels a sharp pain cut through the throbbing, and he realizes that he's fallen on the shattered glass from the guardrail. The edges of his vision go blurry, but he forces himself to stay conscious.

Looking up, he sees Imp Perfection, now back fully under Hawkmoth's control, peering down at him, a wicked grin on her face. However, it quickly drops as Chat offers her a pained smile and lifts the purse to her chest.

She shrieks. "NO!"

He sees her drop off the ledge, catching it with her bandalore as she lowers herself, but she's not quick enough. Just as she reaches the floor, he takes the purse in his hands and, with what strength he can muster, rips it.

He feels the energy rush out of the purse as the cursed butterfly emerges. Before it can escape, he closes a hand over it. He feels a burning sensation as he absorbs the negative energy, coursing though his limbs and his heart. Suddenly, it dies down, and he's left tired and aching, lying in a growing pool of his own blood as he watches the purified butterfly flutter through the broken skylight above him.

He distantly hears the bubbling sound of Ladybug's akumatization leaving her, and hears her groan. It's quiet for a few seconds, before there's a gasp, and a hurried "Spots On!" Footsteps grow louder and suddenly she's there, dropping to her knees beside his head and gingerly lifting it into her lap. He looks up and sees her, dressed in spotted red and back to normal and _beautiful_ and he laughs weakly. His hand making it halfway to her face before dropping weakly to his chest, but he's smiling, relieved.

Ladybug, however, seems to share none of his sentiment as she lets out a cry, tears streaming down her cheek as she takes in his glass-ridden back and legs twisted at odd angles. She brings a shaky hand to press against her mouth, trying to stifle the sobs wracking her body. "Oh God, Chat" she chokes. "What did I do to you?"

Without waiting for a response, she unhooks her bandalore, bypassing Lucky Charm in favour of going straight to Miraculous Cure. The bright light envelops the mall, repairing shattered windows and the broken guardrail. It swarms him, and he feels the glass shrapnel disappear from his back and his ankle straighten, bones rearranging and repairing. When the light finally dissipates, his wounds have been healed, but the still tired from the fight and unstable from blood loss. He grins up at his partner.

"It's good to have you back, my l-" is all he manages before she's on him, clutching him to her chest as she sobs, desperate apologies jumbling together.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I should have been stronger, I should have fought it, I should never have listened to Hawkmoth, and I almost killed you and _oh my god_ Chat, I'm so sorry-"

Her rambles stutter to a stop as Chat wraps his arms around her waist, hands settling on the small of her back as he presses his face into her stomach. He's shaking with relief, the fear of losing her to Hawkmoth that had been ignored for the sake of the fight coming back with a vengeance.

They stay like that, holding each other and crying, before Chat pulls back, smiling weakly at her. He struggles to sit up, and with Ladybug's help manages to sit cross legged. Of course, Chat being Chat has to try to push it, and he immediately tries to stand, but Ladybug grabs him from behind, dragging him back down. She presses her forehead into his back, hiding her face even though he can't see her anyways. Steadying her breathing, she pulls back and moves to his side, ducking under his arm and helping him to his feet. Silently, they begin to limp to a nearby window.

By the time they make it to the window, Chat's recovered enough to haul himself up and out. He ends up in a darkened alley lit only by the faint light from a streetlamp at the end. He hears Ladybug land behind him, and braces against the wall as a wave of dizziness washes over him. As it passes, it seems to take the last remnants of his aching with it, leaving him steady but tired.

He feels Ladybug come up beside him, and he turns his head to look at her. She's looking down, toeing the ground with her foot, and she won't meet his gaze. He puts a hand on her shoulder, and she stiffens, but still doesn't look at him. Sighing, he takes her chin in his hand and gently turns her to face him "My lady... Please tell me you're not beating yourself up for what happened."

Her bottom lip trembles, and she looks at him, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "How can I not, Chat? I was weak, I let Hawkmoth take control of me! I almost killed you! Hawkmoth almost won! I-"

Chat presses a finger against her mouth, effectively shushing her. "My lady, you're one of the strongest people I know. I can't imagine what happened that let Hawkmoth control you, but I know you were feeling inadequate. I'm not going to press for details, but just remember that you will _always_ be good enough. For me, for Paris, for anything. Never let anything convince you otherwise."

Ladybug gives him a watery smile, and he reaches up to swipe at the tears gathered in her eyes. She laughs, smacking his hands away and rubbing her eyes with her fists. She hears a beep and drops her hands to see a pad disappear from the paw on Chat's ring. He gives her an apologetic look, unhooking his baton. "I guess that's my cue to leave."

Straightening, he begins hopping slightly to get his blood flowing, shaking out his arms and his head. He takes a few paces and is about to vault up onto the roofs when he hears Ladybug call his name. He turns back.

She's biting her lip, and her face is a bit red "I just... wanted to thank you. For saving me"

He grins at her "What are partners for? Besides, I didn't do much. You saved yourself"

And he's gone, launching himself up onto a nearby rooftop and running off in the direction of his home, more than ready for a long rest.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure about this, my Lady?"

They're in a small, secluded parkette on the outskirts of the heart of the city, tucked away between three high-rises and shielded from the street by a row of bushes. It's dark, and Ladybug can just make out the outline of Chat's body against the ivy-coloured wall behind him.

Ladybug doesn't answer at first. Because the truth is, she isn't. She isn't sure. She's got butterflies in her stomach that could rival the arsenal Hawkmoth supposedly has. But they've been partners for over three years now. They've been through hell, high water, and everything in between. She trusts him with her life, and he trust her with his (even when he's haphazardly putting it on the line to protect her) And as she's grown and matured, this mangy cat has wormed his way into her heart, where she had previously though would only be inhabited by Adrien, who she STILL gets tongue-tied over. But Chat never was one to follow the rules, so here she stands, with two boys twisted and tangled around her heart so tightly she can't imagine how she'll remove one without tearing her heart in two.

But she gathers her thoughts and emotions, bottles them up, and shoves them to the back of her consciousness. "Yeah, I'm ready"

"I don't want to do it if you don't." Now he's starting to ramble, hands flailing.

"I do want it"

"If you're nervous, or want to stop, all you have to do is say so, My Lady"

"Chat!"

He stops, looking at her.

"I want this"

His hands drop to his side. He looks at her, reading her face.

Finally he whispers "Okay"

Ladybug reaches up to fiddle with a bit of hair that's come loose. "On three?"

"On three."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she squeaks out "One"

He feels like he's got a hairball, but he manages "Two"

Their hearts jump into overdrive, and together "Three!"

The parkette is lit up with two bright flashes of light; one pink, one green. When the light dies, the two adolescents blink away spots as their eyes adjust to the darkness.

Adrien is the first to recover. "Marinette?"

Marinette starts. _He knows me?_ Hurriedly rubbing her eyes to erase the remaining spots, she squints at the dark figure before her.

She feels her heart drop into her stomach when she recognizes him. " _Adrien!?_ "

Although it's been about half a month since they last saw each other, both having graduated Collège Françoise Dupont six months prior, he still looks exactly as she remembers. Soft smile, gentle eyes, hair that has _absolutely no business_ looking that good. She feels the crush that she thought had died down come rushing back with a vengeance, compounded with her confusing feelings for Chat, and it all becomes overwhelming. Grabbing her head in her hands, she spins around and begins pacing the path, trying to sort out her thoughts. Adrien, watching her, grows increasingly nervous.

 _Is she mad? Is she disappointed? Is she happy?_

Plagg, who's been strangely quiet so far, nudges him. When Adrien looks over, Plagg raises an eyebrow, cocking his head towards Marinette; asking a silent question. _What's up with her?_

 _I don't know._

 _Then go find out!_

 _Are you kidding? Look how confused she is! I'll probably make things worse!_

 _Only one way to find out!_

And with that, Plagg shoves him forward (With considerable strength, considering his size). Stumbling forward, he notices that Marinette has sat down on a bench, head in her hands. As he approaches, he hears her talking, quietly, and he's confused until he sees a small red creature hovering by her head, comforting her.

 _Oh yeah, she must have a kwami too. Plagg told me about her. What was her name again? Tacky?_

Whatever her name is, she looks up and catches his eye. She gives him a soft smile, and gestures for him to come over.

He does.

The small red creature darts down to Marinette's ear, whispering something, before whizzing past his ear so fast it ruffles his hair. When he looks back, he sees that she's tackled Plagg out of the air, and they're having an excellent time rough housing and wrestling about in the grass.

Turning, he sees that Marinette has raised her head from her hands and is regarding him silently, and he offers her a gentle smile, moving to sit beside her. A long, uneasy silence develops, before she sighs.

"I'm sorry"

"What?"

Marinette hugs herself "I'm sorry" she repeats.

Now Adrien is really confused "For what?"

"For... I don't know"

"Odd thing to apologize for"

Marinette gives him a look.

"Right. Shut up, Chat"

This elicits a choked laugh that dies halfway down Marinette's throat. "I guess I'm just afraid I'm not living up to your expectations. That I'm disappointing you."

Adrien cocks his head slightly, and Marinette is subconsciously struck by how cat-like he looks. He's gazing at her, blinking slowly, silently prompting her to continue. Despite the missing ears in his hair, she can tell he's listening.

She sighs "I mean, Ladybug has always been more confident, more graceful, and more useful than I could be myself. She saves lives, inspires people, and ensures the safety of everyone in this city. Marinette, she's just a girl who can't even form a coherent sentence around her crush. I can't get through the day without tripping over my feet, and I certainly couldn't save people's lives. I'd just make things worse. Nobody needs Marinette when they have ladybug."

She doesn't realize that she's crying until she feels something wet on the hands in her lap. She furiously wipes her eyes with the back of her fists, stubbornly refusing to let anymore tears out, until she feels the comforting pressure of a warm hand between her shoulder blades, and she comes undone.

She cries.

Years of subconscious feelings of inadequacy, of self-doubt, and fear of failure come to light, tearing from her throat in heartbroken sobs.

The warm hand on her back draws her against an equally warm, hard chest, and she cries harder, melting into him and grabbing the back of his shirt. He brings his other arm up to rest on her lower back, rubbing comforting circles up and down her spine. She feels his head settle on top of hers; feels dampness on her shoulder and realizes that _he's crying; she's making him cry_ and she pulls back, because it's not fair to him for _him_ to be crying over _her_ insecurities.

Adrien however, seems to have other plans, tightening his grip and drawing her closer until she's basically in his lap. He gently rocks them back, and forth, and back and forth. She lets out a shaky breath, turning her head to rest flat on his chest, and comforts herself by listening to his steady, strong heartbeat.

They stay like that awhile, neither quite willing to break the delicate tranquility that settled over them, until Adrien speaks.

"I'll love you forever..."

Marinette pulls back, looks up at him.

"I'll like you for always"

He brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, and she lets out a breath, eyes fluttering closed.

"As long as I'm living"

He reaches up to cradle her face in his hands. He brings her face to his, presses a kiss to her forehead, before replacing it with his own, his face a breath away from hers.

"My lady you'll be"

Marinette manages a watery smile, bringing her hands up to cover his. "Chat..."

"Hush, my lady. Or should I say, Princess." Marinette lets out a weak giggle, and he smiles "I will not let you speak so lowly of yourself, especially when so much of it is blatant lies."

"But..."

"No buts. Who helped me defeat the Evillustrator?"

"Marinette..."

"Who took control when Dark Blade had City Hall under siege, looking out for everyone else and earning themselves the title of class president?"

"I did, but-"

"Who stands up to Chloè every day? Chloè, who in my opinion is scarier than a lot of the akumas we face?"

"Chat... "

"You did Marinette. Just because you're not swinging from the rooftops defeating akumas doesn't mean you're not making a difference in people's lives. Honestly, Marinette, I'm glad it's you."

Marinette sniffles, wiping her eyes. "Really?"

"Swear to God. Remember when Alya though Chloè was Ladybug?"

She laughs. "You didn't actually believe her, did you?"

"In retrospect, no. But at the time, I was seriously reconsidering myself and my taste in women"

Marinette pushes him playfully. "Silly kitty. I'm almost offended you would compare me to her."

Adrien darts right back in. "And what can I _possibly_ do to make my lady forgive me for making such a terrible comparison?"

Marinette pretends to think. "Hmmm... Maybe if you stop making your ridiculous puns"

Adrien snorts. "My lady, you know I love you more than anything in the world. But that's like asking a man to leave one of his children. Besides, you know you love them."

"In your dreams."

"Every one of them"

"Adrien!"

Adrien laughs, and stands up, turning to offer her his hand "Hey, let's take a walk. It looks like we've got a lot to talk about"


	4. Chapter 4

"Adrien, are you alright?"

Adrien starts, hastily shoving his hand back in his pocket as looks over to where Marinette sits, feet dipped in the Seine. He gives her a nervous grin, moving to sit beside her. She smiles, turning back to gaze out at the Eiffel tower; framed by the full moon.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

His nervous grin settles into a more relaxed smile. "Yeah, but I've seen it a hundred times before"

She pouts. "And that makes it less beautiful?"

He sighs "I suppose not"

She laughs, hooking her arm around his and flopping onto her back, dragging him down with her. Her other arm gets tossed across her face, but he can still see the soft smile that graces her features. "This is nice."

He turns his head to watch her. "What is?"

She peeks out from under her arm, before tossing it into the air in a wild hand gesture. "This. Being out here without being on patrol, or having an akuma to fight. Just the two of us, out here enjoying the view."

"I take it you liked the surprise then?"

She looks over at him, grinning so wide he can see the moonlight reflecting off of her brilliantly white teeth. "I loved it! Thank you so much!"

He laughs, relieved. "I wasn't sure. I mean, a picnic's a little dull compared to what we usually do"

"Maybe, but honestly, it's nice to slow down and do stuff like this every once in awhile. It makes us seem normal"

"Even if we run around in leather and spandex saving the world from evil butterflies?"

She smirks "Okay, well, as normal as we can get"

Adrien still has an unsure look on his face, so she smiles gently. Turning back to watch the night sky. "It was perfect Adrien. I don't think it could have been any better"

Adrien swallows the growing lump in his throat, reaching back into his pocket until his fingers close around the small box. "I bet it could."

* * *

It's a rather small affair, taking place in a cathedral about an hour outside of Paris. Guests are limited to their old classmates and immediate families, as well as an old trusted pastor who's been sworn to secrecy. Specifically, the people who know of their double lives. Gabriel Agreste is there, a testament to their newly rebuilt relationship, as well as Nathalie and their driver. Sabine smiles at Adrien as he shuffles around nervously. Alya, from her place as maid-of-honour, shoots him a look and he stills, offering her a bashful grin. She rolls her eyes fondly.

He feels an elbow jab him in the side, and he turns to see his best man Nino smirking at him, nodding at the end of the aisle. He looks, and his breath leaves him.

He's only vaguely aware of the congregation rising to their feet; of the well-known notes emanating from the organ. His undivided attention lies on the young woman who's appeared at the doors of the church.

Manon skips down the aisle, tossing flower petals all over the place. Marinette beams at him from her place at her father's side, small hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. It's almost comical how her father still dwarves her (and him, for that matter). However, for all his size, he's got tears on his face as he slowly walks her down the aisle, and it's only when Adrien feels Nino press a handkerchief into his palm that he realizes he's crying as well. He shoots Nino a grateful look, dabs at his eyes, and Nino smiles, clapping him on the shoulder, before they both turn back to watch the procession.

Marinette, of course, designed her own gown (and refused to let him see it), and even though he _knew_ it would be incredible, nothing he had ever imagined could compare to what she's created. It's simple, just a plain white mermaid-style gown with white lace sleeves, but upon closer inspection an intricate labyrinth of threaded designs emerge. It's the result of a year of planning and almost as long of slow tedious work. It's easily her most extensive project; she's put blood, sweat and tears into it, but it's paid off magnificently.

As she approaches the base of the steps, she rises up on tiptoe to press a kiss to her father's cheek. Even with her heels, he needs to duck. He gives Adrien a mock threatening glare, and Adrien laughs, dropping his gaze to rub the back of his neck. Tom laughs, letting go of his daughter and moving to sit next to his wife.

Marinette turns to hand her bouquet to Alya, dragging her into a hug as the brunette laughs. Pulling away, she smiles at Nino, who gives her a playful wink. She giggles, before turning to Adrien, who smiles and offers her his hand.

She takes it, walks up the steps, and the ceremony begins.

Neither one of them pays any particular amount of attention to the ceremony, preoccupied with stealing glances at the other and blushing. Somehow they make it to the vows without spontaneously combusting or jumping each other.

Marinette goes first. "Adrien Agreste. I met you years ago when you transferred into my class, and I immediately had a crush on you. You were so quiet but kind, and I fell in love with your calm demeanor. You never got upset or annoyed with me, even when I was freaking out while talking to you. And you weren't particularly hard on the eyes either." This earns a collective laugh from the congregation.

"Not too much later, I met Chat Noir. I was just getting used to being Ladybug, and suddenly there's a flirty boy in all leather trying to woo me with terrible cat jokes" Adrien gives her a mock-offended look, and she giggles, continuing. "I'll admit, I didn't think we'd ever become partners, we were so different. I thought we'd just see each other in passing. But you, on the other hand, seemed incapable of taking no for an answer, and soon we were out patrolling and fighting akumas together. It was then that I got to really know Chat Noir. The Chat who has a weird affinity for storms. The Chat who's always talking big but always back his words up with action. The Chat who, for all his goofiness, knows what to say when things get serious. And the longer I knew both Chat and Adrien, the more I saw how similar you were, even if I refused to believe it."

She drops her gaze, and he gives her hand a comforting squeeze. She takes it as a cue to continue. "When we finally found out each other's identities, I was both shocked and not at the same time. I had suspected it was you for awhile, but like I said, I refused to believe it. Not because I didn't want to believe it, but because I couldn't believe that two people I fell in love with were the same person. There was no way even I, with all of Ladybug's luck, could be that lucky. But I was, and here I am, marrying my crush Adrien Agreste, who helped me pass physics and got me an internship at my dream company, and my partner Chat Noir, who's had my back for years now and was always there to listen when I had problems I couldn't talk to Alya about. I don't know what I did to deserve you but I couldn't imagine doing this without either of you. And I'm the luckiest girl in the world to be able to call myself your wife, and you my husband."

By the time she's done, Adrien's grinning like an idiot and she blushes, but smiles back. She looks at the congregation and sees her parents smiling at her. Roses is hopping up and down, covering her mouth to stifle her squealing, and Jukela rolls her eyes fondly (both of them, she has her hair tied back for once) and puts her hands on Rose's shoulder, grounding her. Alix is trying to look bored, but she shoots Marinette a wink, and she even sees Chloe's frown lighten (who, despite having accepted their relationship, still isn't too happy about it.) She look at Gabriel, and he gives her the smallest of approving smiles and a slight nod. She smiles back, but her attention is caught by Adrien clearing his throat.

She turns to face him, and he looks nervous, but she squeezes his hand, and he smiles at her, taking a deep breath. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I saw you when I first transferred into your class, but I didn't really meet you until later that week. You had forgotten your sketchbook on your desk, and it was open to a page with an amazing pair of Ladybug themed gloves. Of course, you would have just received your earrings so nobody knew of Ladybug the superhero yet, but just the attention to detail was amazing. You always did have a knack for the finer things in life." This earns a laugh from Alya, and Marinette sticks her tongue out at her. "I remember running after you to return it and when I finally caught you, you saw me and practically flipped over the handrail. You couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence around me, and that didn't change for months. To be honest, for the longest time I though you disliked me."

Marinette looks up at him, surprised. He laughs softly.

"And then of course, I met Ladybug. You stumbled into the alley, tangled in the string of your yo-yo as I tried to haul myself out of that dumpster, and I was a goner. Even as you were awkwardly learning, you gave off a sense of knowing exactly what you were doing, and it only grew as you learned. It wasn't long before you were fighting akumas and being done in time for class. I was amazed by you and even more amazed that you were willing to let me fight with you. You never really needed me, and even though you seemed to hate my puns, you put up with me. I always thought you were out of my league, but I tried anyways. Even if it never amounted to anything, I loved the easy banter we had, it felt like I could really be myself without being judged. Nino was great and all, but he didn't know I was Chat Noir at the time, so it wasn't quite the same."

He can tell Nino's rolling his eyes, but he ignores it and continues. "However, no matter how amazing and radiant you were as Ladybug, you were never quite able to outshine Marinette. I always admired the easy way you got along with everyone, and I was confused as to why you acted so differently with me. I eventually figured out that you didn't dislike me, but I still couldn't figure you out for the life of me. Were you intimidated? Were you nervous about my dad? Was I making myself seem unapproachable? It took an intervention involving most of our class before the idea that you actually liked me occurred to me." He smirks; Marinette blushes.

"That made me look at you in a whole new light. I realized that I hadn't fallen in love with Ladybug so much as the kind-hearted, courageous, witty girl behind the mask. And I realized that you were all of these things, even while you were stuttering and stumbling around. You were everything I loved in Ladybug, wrapped up in a small bundle of adorable awkwardness." He reaches up and pokes her nose, and she giggles.

"You gave me a hell of a time, Marinette. I was slowly falling for you, and I was still in love with Ladybug. I felt guilty when I was with both of you. I couldn't imagine picking one of you, so I didn't. And then, of course, I find out that you're both the same person, and I can't even begin to describe how relieved and happy I was. I didn't have to pick, and I got Ladybug's amazing confidence and Marinette's adorable awkwardness. It was more than I could have hoped for, even in my wildest dreams."

"I'm Chat Noir. I'm the literal personification of a black cat, and I got all the bad luck that comes with one. I think my record in battle stands as a testament to that. However, despite all of my misfortune, the fact that I'm standing in front of you, about to marry you, more than makes up for any amount of bad luck I've ever had or ever will have. Regardless of how oblivious I once was, I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with."

He presses a kiss to her forehead.

"You are my entire world, and I'll love you forever."

A kiss to her cheek.

"I'll like you for always"

A peck on the other.

"As long as I'm living.

A quick one on the nose

"My lady you'll be"

Thunderous applause erupts from the crowd as Adrien swoops in to capture Marinette's lips with his own, before the pastor can even speak. Marinette's crying, Adrien's on the verge of crying, but they're both gone, off in their own little world where there's nobody but them. It takes Alya hollering at Marinette and Nino pounding Adrien on the back before they break apart, blushing furiously. Adrien seems to recover first, grinning as he hooks an arm behind her knees and sweeping her off her feet, earning a startled squawk from Marinette as she wraps her arms around his neck. She glares at him, but he just grins wider, and breaks into a run down the aisle, with Marinette's family and their classmates cheering and clapping. Even his father is wearing one of the biggest smiles he's ever seen on his face.

(Which, to be honest, isn't all that big, but Adrien's going to ignore that)

The reception takes place at a banquet hall, with food catered from Ms. Cesaire's restaurant. Dessert and pastries are, of course, provided by Marinette's parents, and Nino (after swearing not to play anything embarrassing or improper) is manning the music studio. When it comes time to cut the cake, they both end up shoving it the other's face, laughing. Alya and Nino seem determined to give their best friends hell by bringing up every embarrassing story they can think of. Alya talks for ages about Marinette's crush and her ridiculous antics, while Nino brings up every single cat-like tendency Adrien's ever displayed ("And that's the last time I used a laser pointer in our presentation.") .

Eventually the music shifts to a slow dance, and Marinette walks onto the dance floor with her father for the parent-child dance. Adrien surprises everyone when he grabs Nathalie's hand and leads her out, but Gabriel smiles sadly. Nathalie's been with them since just after Adrien's mother left, and despite the business nature of their relationship, she's spent so much time with him that she's become a mother figure in his life. He watches the two pairs slowly revolve around the floor, before the song comes to a close. Marinette reaches up to hug her father, and Adrien presses a kiss to Nathalie's cheek.

Gabriel starts as he notices Adrien wave him over. He makes his way onto the floor, another slow song playing its opening notes, and notices Sabine walk up to Adrien as Marinette looks at him expectantly. He walks up to her, tries a smile, and is rewarded with a small one of her own, as she places a hand on his shoulder and takes his with her other. He smiles at her, compliments her dress, and she blushes, smiling under the praise. They make small talk, discussing the fabrics she used and the designs. He hears Adrien laugh, and Gabriel turns to see Adrien laughing as he spins his petite new mother-in-law in place. He smiles, turning his attention back to _his_ new daughter-in-law.

Eventually, this dance also comes to a close, and Marinette hugs him. He stiffens, before relaxing and wrapping his on arms around her. He sees Adrien give Sabine a kiss on the cheek, and she tweaks his nose before kissing him on his. She walks back to her seat next to her husband, and Gabriel moves to stand off to the side.

Now it's just the two newlyweds out on the floor. Adrien turns to Marinette, and drops into a bow, sweeping one arm behind his back and offering her his other. She rolls her eyes fondly, but takes it, and he straightens, tugging her to his chest. The instant their hands are in position, they're off, spinning their way around the dance floor.

It's a sight to behold. As they dance, they become less Marinette and Adrien and more Ladybug and Chat Noir. One doesn't need to know anything about them to see the easy way they move, reading and predicting the other's movements flawlessly. It's the type of fluidity that only comes with a long-time trusted partner, even if it was usually as a partner in fighting crime as opposed to a dance partner. They both have wide smiles on their faces, and as they draw to a close, they both move in for another kiss, earning hoots from the crowd. The music picks back up, and soon everyone is on their feet, dancing and having an overall wonderful time.

The reception goes long into the wee hours of the morning, and by the time it's finally over; the sun's almost ready to make its appearance. But in spite of the tiredness, nobody can bring themselves to care, especially not the newlyweds.

And if you happened to be awake as the first rays of sunlight peaked over the horizon, you might've seen the infamous duo running their usual patrol route, laughing. You might've noticed how happy they seemed to be. And if you were very attentive, you might've caught a glimpse of the new rings on their left hands, one silver with an emerald, the other gold with a ruby.


	5. Chapter 5

Blood. There's too much blood.

She shoves away the man who caused it all, who had plagued her life since she took up the miraculous. He slumps to the ground, unconscious, but she doesn't notice. She's already across the room, dropping to her knees desperately gathering her fallen partner into her arms. She can feel, even through a layer of spandex and leather, that his heartbeat is irregular and shallow, and he's already far too cold. He feels her touch, and manages to open his eyes to offer what he hopes is a comforting smile, despite his injuries.

At a glance, he seems fine, sporting only minor gashes, the worst tracing his temple down to his cheek. His arm is cradled to his side, but it seems unbroken.

However, if you'd seen the fight, you'd have seen how hard he was thrown, crashing against solid brick hard enough to crack it. You might have heard the sickening fracture that accompanied it. You wouldn't have heard a sound from him, his lungs forced empty by the impact. But you'd have seen how horrifyingly limp he was left, slumped against the wall as a thin line of blood traced its path from the corner of his mouth. You would've seen his laboured breathing as his ribcage collapsed, bleeding out on the inside.

Their suits are impenetrable, but they aren't impact resistant. They can block any hit, but can't protect from crushing blows.

She feels tears pushing their way up from the corner of her eyes, with only a desperate hope that she can still save him holding them back. He draws a breath, and it's terrifying to hear, so shallow and ragged. He's trembling, and as he coughs, the thin trail of blood from his mouth thickens, dropping from his chin to pool on his chest. "M-m- my lady" he chokes, reaching up to cradle her head.

She chokes back a sob, grabbing his wrists and tugging them from her face as she desperately presses her hands to the gash on his temple, but it's useless, that's not what's killing him. She grabs her bandalore and tosses it in the air, the broken _"Miraculous Ladybug"_ echoing in the dark empty room, but without an akuma to purify it drops uselessly to the floor, clattering on the cold tile. She desperately tries again, and again, and again, hoping against hope that somehow it'll be different, that somehow it'll fix everything.

It's only when she feels Chat's claws start to weakly drag across her leg in an attempt to gain her attention that she finally accepts that the Miraculous Cure won't be able to fix everything.

It won't be able to fix him.

Her vision blurs, and she starts to feel dizzy. Her stomach feels hollow but she still feels like throwing up. It's only Chat's claws insistent grazing along her leg that keeps her from breaking down there and then. She distantly hears a crashing; she knows the emergency services must have arrived. But Hawkmoth's lair is a labyrinth; they won't be able to find them in time. Not when Chat is so far gone.

She forces herself to look down at Chat, and she gently cards a hand through his hair while the other rests on his cheek. He, despite his wounds, manages a weak smile, reaching up to cover her hand with his.

"You did it, My Lady"

Her mouth tightens, lips pressing into a watery line, the closest she can manage to a smile. " _We_ did it, you stupid cat."

He coughs, and more blood splatters from his mouth, painting the front of his suit crimson. He spits, trying to clear his mouth, and when he speaks again, it much weaker, forcing her to strain to hear him. "I knew we could."

She chokes back another sob, swiping a thumb across the rim of his mask. "You _stupid_ cat" She repeats, dropping her voice to a whisper. " _Why?_ "

Chat gently grasps her hand, pulling it from his face to hold it with both of his on his chest. He regards her sadly, weakly gripping her hand, and he doesn't need to answer. Because it's the same reason it's always been.

"I-I'll l-l-love you f-"

Ladybug presses a finger against his lips, shushing him. He looks up at her, but she gathers him up, cradling him against her chest, determined to be strong for him in his last minutes. The thought makes her want to break down there and then, but she pushes it to the back of her mind. "I'll love you forever"

She begins stroking his hair.

"I'll like you for always"

He grips her arms, and she feels him start to tremble

"As long as I'm living"

She leans down, pressing a kiss to his crown as she feels tears drip down the front of her suit, her own tracing paths from her eyes.

"My kitty you'll be"

His shoulders heave; she can hear quiet sobs tearing from his throat, and she feels what's left of her heart shatter. She rocks him back and forth, pressing his wet face to her chest, trying to offer what little comfort she can.

"Marinette" he whispers, clinging to her like a lifeline. Which she likely is. His voice is raw, weak, and thick with tears "I don't want to die"

She lowers him to lie in her lap, cradling his head. She leans down to press a kiss to his forehead, his nose, his cheeks, finally his lips. "I know, _minou_. I know. You're so brave." She chokes on the words, but tightens her hold on him. He reaches for her hand, pressing a weak kiss to the back of it. She flips their hands, pressing a kiss of her own to the back of each of his fingers before pressing his hand to her chest, splaying his fingers over her heart. "I love you, Adrien" she whispers, stroking his hairline.

His hair falls in a halo around his head, and suddenly, all traces of pain and distress leave his face. He looks at her, eyes shining with tears, and even though he's battered and bruised and on the brink of death, he seems so at peace. His expression relaxes into a gentle smile, and in that moment she remembers the first time she saw that smile, all those years ago when she first met him. He is unguarded, vulnerable, pure, and in that moment, he has never been more beautiful. He drags his thumb back and forth across her collarbone, and somehow, it soothes her. "I love you too, Marinette."

The world seems to stand still for them as they sit there. Gradually, Chat's breath grows shallower, and his eyes lose focus. The gentle pressure he's been putting on her chest dissipates, and she looks down at his still form miserably.

"Chat?"

The name leaves her in a whisper; a futile hope that maybe this is all a nightmare, that he'll wake up and make one of his stupid cat jokes and tease her for being so worried. They'll go downstairs and get patched up together and go home and celebrate their victory and-

Chat's hand goes limp, dropping onto his chest. And she knows in her heart that he's gone.

Her lip trembles. She manages to reach up, tenderly closing his eyelids, before breaking down, desperately clutching him to her chest like a child clutches a stuffed animal for protection from the dark. Horrible, heartbroken tears rip from her throat as she comes to terms with the fact that her partner, her husband, her best friend, her kitty, is gone.

There's an electric cackling as their transformations leave them in flashes of pink and green. The moment he's properly reformed, Plagg lands on Adrien's chest, crying softly and quietly, ears drooping and tiny shoulders heaving as he curls up under his chin. Tikki also has tears in her eyes, but she flies to nuzzle against Marinette's neck to try and comfort the heartbroken girl, but Marinette is inconsolable.

After what could be an eternity, her grief run dry, she hears the dull rumble of boots thudding against the floors above them. They come to a stop outside a door on a balcony overlooking them, and after a lengthy pause, it bursts open. Marinette catches sight of the metallic gleam of a battering ram before it's retracted and replaced by a riot shield. It's followed by others, until an entire platoon of officers are flooding into the room expecting a fight. The lead officer looks down, catches sight of her, and tosses up an arm in a signal to halt.

She faintly hears him yelling something, which increases in volume when he notices the boy lying in her lap. She looks up to see one of the officers hollering into a radio of some sort, a number of officers already swarming down the steps and over to them. One of them reaches for Chat, and she almost hisses, clutching his cold body tighter to his chest. He draws his hand back quickly, yelling something else into his communicator, and through the broken door comes a number of paramedics, lugging first aid kits and a mobile stretcher. When they reach her, she almost hisses at them too, but Tikki nudges her gently and she reluctantly releases her hold on him, scooping up Plagg in the process. The medics immediately swarm him, but the moment she loses sight of him, she thrashes, kicking against the officers that try to restrain her and hollering until he re-enters her sight. Recognizing her need to keep visual contact, the paramedics carefully manoeuvre around Adrien without obstructing him from Marinette's view, all the while yelling at each other things about vitals and his lack of a pulse.

When they've finally secured him to the stretcher, they quickly hoist him up together, and Marinette scrambles to her feet. One of the officers reaches for her, but backs down after another barks at him. Giving the second officer a look of thanks, she follows the paramedics to the stairs, the kwamis moving to rest in her pockets. The only thing she is aware of outside of the load they carry is a number of the officers removing their helmets and pressing them to their chests, heads bowed, as they pass.


	6. Chapter 6

It's raining.

Pouring, actually. Torrential. It seems endless, dark clouds unceasing in their wet bombardment. The thunder rumbles in time with the flash of the lightning and people dart for cover, heads bowed, hoods and umbrellas up. The roads are slick with rain; wet rivers wind their way along the edges into the sewers, and the air is thick with the smell of rain. But Marinette is numb, watches from her seat in the black car as it trails after the hearse.

Even ignoring the weather, the city's gloom seems almost palpable. The death of one of the city's great heroes came as a shock to all. Despite the fact that he passed only three days ago, it seems like everyone has heard. Numerous memorials have sprung up around the city, as people pay tribute to their fallen guardian. The funeral home, open to visitation, was packed for the full two days his body lay there, civilians of all ages and wealth bringing flowers and stories to tell. Some have been akumatized. Some were rescued from said akumas. Many tell stories of Chat simply being helpful and kind, visiting hospitals and charities, stopping petty crimes and locating missing children.

Marinette, of course, has been thrown into the limelight over the past few days, both as herself and Ladybug. Despite the fact that she'd revealed herself (because what was the point of keeping it secret anymore?), she still found people asking for Ladybug and being surprised when she tells them it's her. She doesn't blame them. She looks nothing like the strong composed figure of Ladybug. Instead, she's almost broken down numerous times, her eyes are red, and she has permanent tear streaks on her face. She probably looked like a mess barely held together, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. And, to their credit, they didn't either. They offered their condolences, commended her on the strength she's displayed, thanked her for her service to the city. She's grateful, but she's tired, and all she want wanted is to be left alone to cry.

What she _really_ wants is Adrien with her, but she knows that can't happen.

She only vaguely remembers the ceremony the city had put on, despite the fact that she just came from it. She remembers the Mayor speaking (though the specific words are lost), the moments of silence as the public paid their silent respects. However, the funeral itself has been restricted to friends and family, which Marinette is grateful for. She doesn't think she could hold it together in front of the public's eye.

She watches as the hearse pulls into the cemetery, and her breath catches. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she feels a comforting pressure on her hand, and she turns to give her mother a watery smile, that probably looks more like a grimace. Her father reaches across the seat to lay a large, gentle hand on her knee. Both of her parents adored Adrien, and they took Adrien's death hard, almost as hard as she did.

Almost.

She feels the car come to a stop, and she takes a shuddering breath, squaring her shoulders. Raising her black umbrella out before her, she steps out, followed closely by her parents. She hears the rest of the procession pull up behind her, but her attention's been caught by the pit that will hold her husband's body.

She's only brought out of her thoughts by Alya and Nino coming up beside her, Alya reaching up to rest her hand on Marinette's shoulder. She turns to them, silently opening her arms, and they step in, each wrapping their own around the petite young woman. She buries her face in Alya's shoulder, but she will not cry, not yet. There are too many people she still needs to be strong for.

Nino takes a step back, leaving Alya and Marinette clinging to each other under the umbrella. Eventually, Alya pulls back, clutching Marinette's arms. Marinette can tell that there's a lot that Alya wants to say.

 _I'm sorry_

 _I miss him too_

 _You'll be alright_

 _Maybe not right now, but you will be._

But all she says is "I like your dress"

Ah, yes. Her dress.

The collar is asymmetrical, jet black with emerald green accentuations in the edges and details of the fabric. The sleeves come halfway down her upper arms, but black lace covers the rest, coming all the way down to cover the back of her hands. It's mermaid style, like her wedding dress, and a black bow sits on her lower back. The bottom of the skirt flairs out, and the ruffles allow the viewer to see the green fabric inside, as well as the silver and black heels she's wearing. There are three jagged green slashes on each side of her torso, running from the front of her ribcage and wrapping around her to intersect above the bow. On her head, not a part of the outfit, she wears a black cage veil.

It's not what traditionally would be worn at a funeral, but everyone knows that isn't why she wore it. She wore it not because it was the first dress she designed for Mr. Agreste, not because it was the first of her creations to take off, not because it's what finally made her name known to the fashion world. She could care less about any of that.

She wore it because it reminded her of _him_. It was inspired by him, designed with him in mind, even if he would never wear it. It's in his colour scheme, cut as daringly as he was. It was his favourite immediately, even if he only ever saw it in the rough notes of her sketchbook, and when it was completed, it she quickly fell in love with it as well.

Releasing her arms, Alya turns and walks back over to Nino. They embrace quickly, before Nino moves to the back of the hearse and Alya moves to stand by the plot. Already there is the pastor for the funeral, as well as a number of officers in dress uniform, standing at attention with rifles by their sides, even as the rain drenches their tunics.

The back door of the hearse opens, and the black coffin is lowered into the waiting arms of the eight casket-bearers. Nino and Mr. Agreste take the front two corners, Alix and Kim behind them, Jukela and Nathaniel forming the third row, and Ivan and Chloe taking the rear. There's a small amount of scuffling as everyone settles their grips, before the casket slowly rotates, and they reluctantly carry their old classmate to his final resting place, the rest trailing after them.

The casket is placed on blocks of wood lain across the mouth of the hole. The bearers take a pace back, heads bowed, and Marinette moves to stand by the pastor at the head of the coffin. Everyone excluding the officers remove their hats, and the ceremony begins.

It seems to drag on unnecessarily. The rain is unrelenting, pounding umbrellas with a steady bombardment. The pastor drones on and on, voice muffled by the downpour, but even if she could hear him, Marinette wouldn't be listening. Her gaze remains locked on the dark casket that contains her partner.

When the ceremony finally comes to a close, all present come close to lay flowers on the casket, lay a hand on it, silently pay their last respects. Marinette is last, allowing Plagg and Tikki (who have been waiting with Alya and Nino) to lay their flowers before laying her bouquet of Adonis flowers and dwarf sunflowers across the head of the casket. She lays a hand on the cool polished surface, before leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss to the wood. Straightening, she takes a step back, allowing the bearers to lift the casket.

One of the officers barks an order, and the rest shoulder their rifles, aiming them up over the horizon. The wooden blocks are removed, and slowly, the casket is lowered into the earth, where it hits the ground with a thump that seems to resonate through everyone present. At the lead officers command, the guard fires out a volley in unison, before reloading and repeating twice more. Following the third volley, their weapons return to their side, and the lead officer spins on his heel, facing the casket and raising his sabre in salute. Returning his sword to his side, he looks at Marinette for conformation, and she nods numbly. He spins back around, and a few orders later the guard has their rifle slung over their shoulders, marching off.

The pastor closes his booklet, offers Marinette his condolences, and moves to wait under the shelter of a nearby tree. Others follow, offer Marinette their condolences, embrace her, give Tikki and Plagg a pat. Alya and Nino say nothing, just embrace her, and the same happens with her parents. Tikki and Plagg simply nuzzle her face and neck, respectively, before floating off with her parents.

She watches them go, smiling sadly, but when the rain envelops them, that smile drops.

She can still see them, under the tree, comforting each other and telling stories. She can still hear when someone manages to laugh. But it feels so isolated, here, with a sheet of rain separating them, only her and her thoughts and the sound of the pounding rain on the umbrella.

In this moment, standing 15 feet away from friends and family, Marinette has never felt more alone.

And she breaks.

For the first time since he's died, she allows herself to cry, to scream, to fall to her knees and beat the ground, cursing her luck for abandoning her when she needed it most. Because she would trade all the luck she's ever had or ever will in a heartbeat to be able to wake up tomorrow and have this all be a terrible dream, to see his smile and feel his warmth around her.

She's vaguely aware of her father picking her up, Alya dusting off her dress and her mother wiping her face, but she only cries harder. Her husband is gone, her partner is gone, lying in that casket about to be buried, and she is alone. And everyone knows she is heartbroken beyond repair.

But what they don't know is that they're wrong. That, in time, she'll find someone to love as fully and wholly as she did Adrien, someone that can make her laugh and smile the same way he did, someone she can tease and cuddle with.

Because even though his heart is stopped, and her heart is broken into tiny pieces, somewhere deep inside her, an even smaller heart beats for the first time.


	7. Chapter 7

It's been a year.

A year since she her life ended, a year since the world took her husband suddenly and unfairly, a year since that fateful fight with Hawkmoth.

A year since Adrien died.

And a year since she felt like she'd never really live again.

But she was wrong.

She was _so_ wrong.

And if he was here, he'd laugh and sad _I told you so_.

Smiling sadly, she lays her bunch of Forget-Me-Nots in front of the tombstone, lovingly running her fingers over the engraving in the cool rock. The air is crisp in the autumn, not cool enough to warrant a heavy jacket, but enough to give a slight bite.

"She has your eyes" She begins. "Her hair is black like mine, but it's so fluffy and soft like yours." She thinks back to when she first saw her after the nurses had cleaned her up. She already had a full head of hair (and a definitely functioning set of lungs) and a tuft of it had fallen in front of her face in a way that reminded her so much of Chat she almost cried.

"And she's _already_ such a troublemaker. I've had to clean up so many messes because of her" She teases, smiling. Despite being only a few months old, she seems to find anything that can fall. Glasses, plates, pictures, there's almost nothing delicate in the house that she hasn't kicked at or pushed over. She also seems to be almost _ridiculously_ strong for her infancy. She can already roll over by herself, and hold her head up for extended periods of time. Just the other day, Marinette caught her sliding herself along the floor with her arms, so now she has to worry about her wandering, even if she can't quite crawl yet.

"She's just as needy for attention as you were." It's not a surprise, honestly. The baby seems to have a set limit for how long she can spend apart from her mother. If that limit's surpassed, she'll start babbling, mewling, and eventually crying (though she calms down suspiciously quickly when Marinette finally notices her). She's such a loudmouth, babbling her baby nonsense unceasingly as if anyone can actually understand her. It doesn't matter who's near her, or even if anyone actually _is_ near her, she'll entertain herself for hours just cooing and giggling at nothing and everything.

"Luckily, she seemed to inherit our sound sleeping habits. I can get almost a full night's sleep most of the time." She's so cuddly, just like her father. Whenever Marinette ends up bringing her to sleep with her (which is more often than not), she'll always end up curled up under Marinette's chin, or under her arm, or even, once, draped across her face (And she most certainly was _not_ a featherweight baby). Marinette never really minds, even if her neck aches and creaks for the rest of the day.

"But she's already given me more than my fair share of scares." Born almost a month premature, she spent a week in intensive care in the incubator before she could be taken home, Marinette a nervous wreck all the while. Even when she came home, she seems to gravitate towards high places. She's taken tumbles off of the low couch, the one step from the living room to the kitchen, and once (terrifyingly) the countertop before Nino caught her. And even if it never fazes her, even if she never seems to be hurt, it does nothing for Marinette's nerves and her poor, poor heart. She's far too young for her heart to go through what it's been through.

Smiling sadly, she closes her eyes, and she can almost imagine him with her, cradling their child to his chest while he hugs her, but she quickly shakes it from her mind, lest she start crying again. "She reminds you of me so much, every day. She has more than your eyes, or your hair, or your recklessness. She has your laugh, your smile, she's four months old and she already has your kind nature and curiosity. And she's _so_ gentle with people, and so friendly. She's perfect."

She laughs "Although I definitely wouldn't have been able to do it without everyone's help. Alya and Nino have been godsends, and they're the best babysitters I could ask for. Plagg and Tikki always keep an eye on her and play with her, and Plagg in particular is _so_ protective of her, almost as much as I am. Mama and Papa have been helping me with feeding her and changing her, and keeping her calm. And she's already wormed her way into your dad's heart. He adores her, even if he isn't as open about it. She loves him, always playing with his tie and his hair, and he spoils her _so_ much; I have more stuffed animals at home than I know what to do with. She only ever wants the little black cat, anyways."

She strokes a hand over the smooth marble. "Thank you, Adrien. For protecting me, for protecting the city, for always respecting whatever I wanted even if it didn't make sense to you. Thank you for always having my back and listening to me, thank you for giving me confidence when I needed it most. Thank you for putting up with me and my stubbornness, and _thank you_ for giving me such a beautiful daughter. Thank you for everything."

She presses a kiss to the smooth marble surface, before standing up and clasping her hands in front of her. "I love you Adrien. And I miss you. And I wish you could've been here in person to see her grow. She's going to grow up to be even more like you, I know it. And I wouldn't have it any other way. It's like my own little piece of you to hold on to even while you're gone. And I swear, I'll love her, I'll protect her, I'll raise her with _so many_ puns that she'll be able to speak them fluently. And I'll make sure she knows how great of a man her father was. I promise."

She hears someone call her name, and she turns to see Alya waving at her, smiling.

"Her first tooth poked through!"

Marinette claps her hands together in front of her face, grinning behind them.

"That's awesome! Let's go back and see!"

"Are you done?" Alya sounds gently concerned.

She smiles, turns back to read the tombstone one last time, before turning back and nodding, taking Alya's offered hand.

And she walks from the cemetery, head held high and with her grief overridden by the hope of new beginnings.

And behind her, a slight wind ruffles the flowers lain across the grave, falling leaves fluttering across the inscription on the stone.

 _In loving memory of Adrien Agreste_

 _Dedicated Son_

 _Dependable Friend_

 _Devoted Husband_

 _Hero of Paris_

 _Loving Father_

* * *

They arrive to find Nino sitting on the floor with the baby, who's cooing and giggling and grabbing at Plagg as he darts around her, laughing. Nino looks up, stuffed cat in one hand and pacifier in the other, and smiles at the two young women, who easily return it.

Sabine's voice carries from the next room as they shrug off their light coats, slip out of their shoes. "Marinette? Alya? Is that you?"

"Yes, mama!"

"Oh good. Dinner's just about ready, your fathers' just taking it out of the oven. Go wash up."

"Alright!"

She turns to Alya. "Do you think you and Nino can wrestle her into her high chair?"

Alya laughs "We can try"

"Oh please, if you could it would make my life so much easier. I have to go drop of my stuff in the studio"

"Alright, but make it quick. I'm not waiting on you to eat. Your mom's cooking is too good to wait."

"I'll be fast"

She turns, darting up the stairs and into the design studio attached to the master bedroom. Dropping her purse onto the chaise, she hangs up her coat in the closet. Reaching up, she lets down her hair with one hand, the other absentmindedly flipping through a random sketchbook. They turn to one specific page, she stills. Picks up the book.

It's the dress she wore to his funeral, sketched out on paper and surrounded by scribbled notes and measurements. She still remembers how excited he was that she actually designed something with him in mind, even if it is a dress. He had jokingly promised to try it on if she decided to go through with the design.

(Of course she was going to go through with it. She'd been planning the dress for years, scrapping numerous designs before she was satisfied. Not that he needed to know that; his ego was big enough as it was)

She smiles wistfully, running her fingers along the smudged lines. Placing the book back down, she reaches down to play with the ring on her right ring finger. She thumbs it, spinning it around the digit. (It was always a touch too big for her; luckily the magic prevented it from accidentally slipping off.) She preferred to carry it for safekeeping, rather than run the risk of losing it to a break in. She'd never used it; the thought of doing so somehow seemed like an insult to his memory, though she doubts that he'd mind. He'd laugh, joke about how _absolutely ravishing_ in his suit. She'd roll her eyes, complain about the ears and tail, and he'd laugh harder.

She shakes her head sadly, returning the ring to its original position before closing the sketchbook and putting her hair up into a simple ponytail. She hears Alya call for her, her father is serving dinner, and hears the unmistakable sound of a babies gurgle.

And she smiles.

* * *

Later that evening, when everyone's gone home and she's put herself to bed, she reflects on her time with Adrien, reminiscing memories, both good and bad. A certain memory in particular comes to mind, and she looks down at the infant lying on her chest.

Little Emma Agreste.

Pressing a soft kiss to her head, Marinette strokes a hand up and down Emma's back, and softly sings

"I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be"

Emma only gurgles softly, pressing her face more into Marinette's neck, and Marinette smiles, wrapping her arms around her and letting sleep take her.

She rests.

And she dreams.


End file.
